Readily installable fence system, and method therefor

ABSTRACT

A fence includes a plurality of posts, and fence panels having rails which extend across the plurality of posts, and are secured thereto. Jambs may be formed onto the fence system, and one or more gates may be hung to the jambs.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED INFORMATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/161,534, filed Jan. 22, 2014, which is a continuation application ofU.S. Pat. No. 8,631,551, formerly co-pending patent application Ser. No.12/120,987, filed May 15, 2008, and issued on Jan. 21, 2014, which is adivisional application of application Ser. No. 11/669,943, filed Jan.31, 2007, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.60/763,715, filed Jan. 31, 2006, all of which applications areincorporated by reference herein in their respective entireties.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates generally to fences, and more particularly, to afence, and a method for making a fence, configured for quickinstallation and preferably also for providing ornamental security.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Fences are well known in the art for providing security to property.However, the installation of conventional fences can be laborious andinefficient. Attempts have been made to provide fences that are simplerand quicker to install, such as by providing mechanical fittings inplace of welded fittings. However, mechanical fittings are oftendifficult to use, for example, with gates that are hung from posts thatare spaced apart at irregularly intervals.

Not only can it be laborious and inefficient to install conventionalfences, but conventional fences also lack aesthetic appeal.

Therefore, it would be desirable for a fence to not only providesecurity, but to also be relatively simple and quick to install and haveaesthetic appeal.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A fence includes a plurality of fence posts, and fence panels havingrails which extend across the plurality of posts, and are securedthereto. Jambs may be formed onto the fence system, and one or moregates may be hung to the jambs.

The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technicaladvantages of the present invention in order that the detaileddescription of the invention that follows may be better understood.Additional features and advantages of the invention will be describedhereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention. Itshould be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conceptionand specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis formodifying or designing other structures for carrying out the samepurposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by thoseskilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart fromthe spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appendedclaims. The novel features which are believed to be characteristic ofthe invention, both as to its organization and method of operation,together with further objects and advantages will be better understoodfrom the following description when considered in connection with theaccompanying figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, thateach of the figures is provided for the purpose of illustration anddescription only and is not intended as a definition of the limits ofthe present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference isnow made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 exemplifies a carriage bolt and a breakaway nut used to secure arail hanger to a post in assembly a fence in accordance with theprinciples of the present invention;

FIG. 2 exemplifies a TEK screw used to secure a rail hanger to a post inassembling a fence in accordance with principles of the presentinvention;

FIGS. 3-5 exemplify a round post rail hanger, used to secure a rail to apost in accordance with principles of the present invention;

FIGS. 6-8 exemplify a square post rail hanger, used to secure a rail toa post in accordance with principles of the present invention;

FIGS. 9-12 exemplify a panel hanger, used to secure a rail on an insidecorner connection in accordance with principles of the presentinvention;

FIGS. 13-14 exemplify gate and hook trim in accordance with principlesof the present invention;

FIGS. 15-17 exemplify an egress gate panic hardware mounting plate inaccordance with principles of the present invention;

FIGS. 18-24 exemplify a square double tension band used to attachtension bars to middle rails at ends of panels in accordance withprinciples of the present invention;

FIGS. 25-28 exemplify a square single tension band used to attachtension bars to top and bottom rails at ends of panels in accordancewith principles of the present invention;

FIGS. 29-30 exemplify a tension rod used to attach chain link to railsin conjunction with tension rod brackets in accordance with principlesof the present invention;

FIGS. 31-33 exemplify a chain link clip used to secure chain link topickets in accordance with principles of the present invention;

FIGS. 34-35 exemplify a splice used to assemble gate sections inaccordance with principles of the present invention;

FIGS. 36-37 exemplify a splice used to assemble gate sections inaccordance with principles of the present invention;

FIGS. 38-41 exemplify a swivel rail hanger used to secure a rail onsloping terrain applications in accordance with principles of thepresent invention;

FIGS. 42-45 exemplify square and round post caps in accordance withprinciples of the present invention;

FIGS. 46-47 exemplify the placement of carriage bolts with the head ofthe bolt facing a rail in accordance with principles of the presentinvention;

FIGS. 48-51 exemplify the location of TEK screws in accordance withprinciples of the present invention;

FIG. 52 exemplifies how a user may verify the area that needs to besecured using fencing according to the present invention;

FIG. 53 exemplifies a step in the assembly wherein posts are set inplace;

FIGS. 54-55 exemplifies a step in the assembly wherein rail hangers areinstalled on the posts set in FIG. 54;

FIGS. 56-57 exemplifies a layout of the assembly of panels for use withthe fence;

FIGS. 58-59 exemplifies the panel assemblies of FIG. 56 prepared forsplice installation;

FIGS. 60-61 exemplify the panel assemblies of FIG. 56 pressed together;

FIG. 62 exemplifies the overlay of chain link onto the assemblies ofFIG. 58;

FIGS. 63-65 exemplify the application of chain link tension rods and rodbrackets onto the panel assemblies of FIG. 60;

FIGS. 66-68 exemplify how the panels of FIG. 60 are lifted andpositioned on the posts of FIGS. 54-55; and

FIGS. 69-71 exemplifies a layout of gate panel assemblies prepared forassembly according to principles of the present invention;

FIGS. 72-73 exemplifies the gate panel assemblies of FIGS. 69-71prepared for splice installation;

FIGS. 74-75 exemplifies the gate panel assemblies of FIGS. 69-71 pressedtogether;

FIG. 76 exemplifies the gate panel assemblies of FIGS. 69-71 may belifted and positioned onto the posts of FIG. 54;

FIG. 77 exemplifies the installation of gates to the posts and panelassemblies of FIG. 76;

FIG. 78 exemplifies the installation of a mullion post where applicablefor a gate;

FIGS. 79-80 exemplify gate section construction detail for double gatewith center post and transom;

FIGS. 81-82 exemplify gate section construction detail for a single gatewith a transom;

FIGS. 83-84 exemplify gate section construction detail for a double gatewith a drop rod and transom;

FIGS. 85-89 exemplifies an egress gate with panic hardware for a doublegate with a center post and single gate; and

FIGS. 90-91 exemplify gate section construction detail for a double gatewith a drop rod.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Refer now to the drawings wherein depicted elements are, for the sake ofclarity, not necessarily shown to scale and wherein like or similarelements are designated by the same reference numeral through theseveral views. In the interest of conciseness, some components known tothe art, and necessary for fences, have not been shown or discussed indetail, except insofar as necessary to describe the present invention.

The present invention constitutes a method for constructing anornamental fence and for hanging gates that makes installation simplerand more efficient than is possible with existing systems by running thefence outside the line of the fence posts rather than in line with them.

A number of dimensions are depicted in the drawings. It is understood,however, that the dimensions depicted in the drawings are provided byway of example, and are not to be construed as constituting anylimitation in the design or application of the embodiment of theinvention described herein.

The fence of the present invention has a number of applications,particularly where ornamental fencing is required, including, but notlimited to applications in connection with garden centers, recreationalfacilities, a commercial perimeter, a retail perimeter, and areas oftransportation. Due to the configuration of the fence disclosed herein,it may be assembled relatively quickly and inexpensively, and isparticularly well-suited for projects having irregular or inexact postsettings.

As discussed in further detail below, with respect to FIGS. 52-91, in apreferred embodiment, the fence of the present invention may typicallybe assembled in five steps. First, fence posts are installed, or set, ifnot already set. The fence post settings or spacing does not have to beexact, because the fence runs outside the posts, rather than betweenthem. Second, brackets are attached with a brace band attachment, whicheliminates the need to tap into a heavy wall post. Third, fence panelsto be used in the construction of the fence are assembled on the groundby being connected end-to-end using splices rather than welding. Fourth,sections of fence panels are assembled on the ground and then liftedfrom the ground, positioned onto the posts, and secured in place bybeing attached to the brackets. Fifth, gates are hung onto jambsintegrated with the fence panels.

FIGS. 1-51 exemplify hardware and tools that are preferred in theassembly of the fence of the present invention. By way of example, butnot limitation, fasteners, brackets, hangers, splices, and tension rodsare types of hardware preferred in the assembly of the fence of thepresent invention. Drills, ladders, rubber mallets, wrenches, sockets,levels, and saws exemplify types of tools that would be preferred in theassembly of the fence of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 52, before the fence of the present invention may beset up, the exact area to be fenced must be identified and verified.Locations must also be identified where gates are to be positionedbetween the fence panels accordingly, as described further below withrespect to FIGS. 74-91.

As shown in FIG. 53, fence posts are preferably set in cement orconcrete in the ground. The posts may be of any suitable height, andregularly or irregularly spaced. The posts may be fabricated of anysuitable material, such as wood, steel, aluminum, channel, square beam,I-beam, or the like effective for supporting a fence.

FIGS. 54-55 exemplify how rail hangers are installed on the posts set inFIG. 54. In a preferred embodiment, hangers are attached to bracketswhich, in turn, are attached to the posts. Band brackets, such as thoseshown in FIGS. 3-8, are secured to the posts to avoid the need to tapdirectly into the post, thereby further simplifying the assembly of thefence. Hangers for supporting rails on the panels, discussed in furtherdetail below with respect to FIGS. 64-67, are attached to the brackets,preferably by the manufacturer of the fence product, in any suitablemanner, such as, by way of example, but not limitation, welds,mechanical fasteners, or the like.

In accordance with principles of the present invention, fence panels aresubstantially prefabricated prior to being installed to form the fence.More specifically, the panels are fabricated in sections, each of whichsections comprises a plurality of slats, also referred to as pickets,attached to rails, such as metal tubes, preferably having a square, oroptionally a circular, cross-section. Then, as exemplified in FIG. 56,the panels are laid out on the ground with corresponding splices. Thesplices are preferably tubular, and sized for fitting within the rails.As shown in FIGS. 58-61, the splices are inserted into the respectiverails, end-to-end, and preferably secured thereto using mechanicalfasteners, such as TEK screws as shown in FIG. 61, thereby forming acontinuous run of fence outside the line of the fence posts of FIGS.53-54. While not shown in FIGS. 56-61, fence panels may also befabricated with gate jambs, as needed with respect to FIGS. 69-91 below,by way of welding or mechanically fastening of the jambs to ends ofrails.

If additional security is desired, then the pickets of the fence panelsmay be overlaid with chain link. As shown in FIG. 62, chain is cut asdesired to extend across a desired section of fence panel. Then, asshown in FIGS. 63-65, tension rod brackets are attached to ends of thefence panels, and tension rods are extended through the chain links ateach end of the fence panel. Tension is then applied to the tension rodsin opposing directions to thereby instill tension in the chain link, andthe tension rods are secured by way of the tension rods brackets.

In FIGS. 66-67, a section of fence panel (with or without chain link) islifted and positioned on the posts of FIGS. 53-54, and secured to thebrackets, preferably by way of mechanical fasteners, such as TEK screws.As shown in FIG. 68, additional sections of fence panel are subsequentlylifted and positioned on the posts, spliced together as described abovewith respect to FIGS. 56-61, and respective rails of the fence panelsare secured to the rail hangers bracketed to the fence posts.

Once the fence panels are secured to the posts, gates are installed asdetermined with respect to FIG. 52 above. As depicted in FIGS. 69-75,selected fence panels are preferably pre-fabricated with gate jambspositioned in suitable locations for hanging a gate therefrom. Furtherto FIGS. 69-75, two fence panels are laid on the ground, and a third, ortransom, fence panel is interposed between the two fence panels, thetransom fence panel being less wide the first two fence panels. At leastone rail of the transom fence panel is spliced to corresponding rails ofthe other two fence panels, and a lowermost rail of the transom fencepanel is preferably mechanically connected, e.g., by way of a plate, toan upper end of respective gate jambs, to thereby form “gate” panels.

As shown in FIG. 76, the gate panels are lifted, as described above withrespect to FIGS. 66-68, and spliced into the fence system with otherfence panel sections. A lowermost end, or base, of each gate jamb ispreferably secured, e.g., by way of a mechanical fastener such an anchorbolt, to a post, or cement in which a post is embedded, for additionalstrength and stability.

As depicted in FIG. 77, gates are secured to the gate jambs of the gatepanels, by way of hinges which are preferably welded to respective gatejambs. One or more gates are thus hung on a jamb system attached tofence rails near a connection with a post, thereby enablingsubstantially precise control over the placement of the gate and size ofthe opening. If the posts are open on top, then caps are preferablypositioned on the posts to close the tops thereof.

FIG. 78 exemplifies the optional installation of a center post, ormullion post, which may be positioned as suitable in support of theaforementioned gate and transom fence panel. A lower end of such amullion post is preferably set in concrete (or cement), and an upper endthereof is preferably secured to a rail by way of a plate tack weldedbetween the mullion post and the rail.

FIGS. 79-91 exemplify various options available for gates in accordancewith principles of the present invention. More specifically, FIGS. 79-80depict gate section construction detail for a double gate with a centerpost and transom. FIGS. 81-82 depict gate section construction detailfor a single gate with a transom. FIGS. 83-84 depict gate sectionconstruction detail for a double gate with a drop rod and transom. FIGS.85-89 depict an egress gate section construction detail with panichardware for (1) a double gate with a center post and transom, and (2) asingle gate with a center post and transom. FIGS. 90-91 depict gatesection construction detail for a double gate with a drop rod.

By use of the present invention, a fence may be installed faster (e.g.,about twice as fast) than conventional fences. Furthermore, posts thatare positioned near footers may be set up to about 36 inches from atermination point of a fence line. The fence of the present inventionalso preferably forms a conduit for running cables through the railsystem, making it very useful in high security applications that requiretamper detection fiber optics and communications cables.

It is understood that the present invention may take many forms andembodiments. Accordingly, several variations may be made in theforegoing without departing from the spirit or the scope of theinvention. For example, the fence may optionally be made with rails madefrom channel.

Having thus described the present invention by reference to certain ofits preferred embodiments, it is noted that the embodiments disclosedare illustrative rather than limiting in nature and that a wide range ofvariations, modifications, changes, and substitutions are contemplatedin the foregoing disclosure and, in some instances, some features of thepresent invention may be employed without a corresponding use of theother features. Many such variations and modifications may be consideredobvious and desirable by those skilled in the art based upon a review ofthe foregoing description of preferred embodiments. Accordingly, it isappropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in amanner consistent with the scope of the invention.

Although the present invention and its advantages have been described indetail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions andalterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Moreover, thescope of the present application is not intended to be limited to theparticular embodiments of the process, machine, manufacture, compositionof matter, means, methods and steps described in the specification. Asone of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from thedisclosure of the present invention, processes, machines, manufacture,compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps, presently existing orlater to be developed that perform substantially the same function orachieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodimentsdescribed herein may be utilized according to the present invention.Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include within theirscope such processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter,means, methods, or steps.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for assembling a fence, comprising stepsof: installing one or more fence posts; attaching one or more railhangers to the one or more fence posts; providing two or more fencepanels, each of the two or more fence panels having one or more railsattached thereto; splicing together the two or more fence panels to forma contiguous fence section by inserting one or more tubular splices intothe one or more rails of adjacent fence panels; positioning thecontiguous fence section directly onto the one or more fence posts; andsecuring the contiguous fence section to the one or more fence posts byattaching the one or more rails to the one or more rail hangers attachedto the one or more fence posts.
 2. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising the step of overlaying an additional material on the two ormore fence panels, wherein the additional material is selected from agroup consisting of mesh and chain link.
 3. The method of claim 1,wherein the width of the individual fence panels is unequal to theinterval between two adjacent fence posts of the one or more fenceposts.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more fence posts areinstalled in cement or concrete.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein theindividual fence panels are formed using a plurality of pickets.
 6. Themethod of claim 1 further comprising hanging a gate onto a jambintegrated with the contiguous fence section.
 7. The method of claim 6,wherein the gate is selected from a group consisting of a single gateand a double gate.
 8. A system for assembling a fence, comprising: oneor more fence posts; one or more rail hangers attached to the one ormore fence posts; and two or more fence panels, each of the two or morefence panels having one or more rails attached thereto, the two or morefence panels spliced together to form a contiguous fence section byinserting one or more tubular splices into the one or more rails ofadjacent fence panels; wherein the contiguous fence section ispositioned onto the one or more fence posts; and wherein the contiguousfence section is secured in place by attaching the one or more rails tothe one or more rail hangers attached to the one or more fence posts. 9.The system of claim 8, further comprising an additional materialoverlayed on the plurality of fence panels, wherein the additionalmaterial is selected from a group consisting of mesh and chain link. 10.The system of claim 9, wherein the individual fence panels is comprisedof a plurality of pickets.
 11. The system of claim 8, wherein the widthof the individual fence panels is unequal to the interval between twoadjacent fence posts of the one or more fence posts.
 12. The system ofclaim 8, wherein the one or more fence posts are installed in cement orconcrete.
 13. The system of claim 8 further comprising a gate hung ontoa jamb integrated with the contiguous fence section.
 14. The system ofclaim 13, wherein the gate is selected from a group consisting of asingle gate and a double gate.